The Wandering Minstrels

Our Biographies

Roselyn Langley, spinto soprano is the founder and artistic director of the Wandering Minstrels, an ensemble of classically trained musicians that performs throughout the region including events at the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. They have performed an evening of opera in Charleston, SC. They were chosen as the performers for the gala celebration to honor philanthropists Hermann and Anita Blumenthal. The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, NC is named in their honor. The group has also appeared in TV commercials.

Roselyn holds both the Master of Music (MM) in voice and a second MM from Converse College.

Among her many accomplishments one of the highlights was being awarded a grant to study at the Akademie Der Musik, Vienna, Austria. While in Vienna, she was coached by the eminent director emeritus, Herr Hans Grossman, Vienna Boys Choir,  Also while in Vienna, she was selected to sing the soprano solos in Mendelssohn’s Elijah and was one of the chosen singers from the Akademie to perform an evening of German lieder.

She enjoys an extensive career as a singer and master teacher at both the collegiate and  private levels. During the summer of 2007, one of her young students won vocal auditions in New York for the show “Annie.

Currently she serves on the board of The Friends of Music, Salem College, Winston Salem, NC and the American Singers Opera Project, formerly of New York now headquartered in North Carolina.  She is also a member of The National Association of Teachers of Singers.  During summer ’08, she judged an international competition in Las Vegas.

In the fall of 2005, she taught a master class to some 20 young singers in St Petersburg, Russia. She considers this one of the highlights of her teaching career.

Roselyn may be contacted at: roselyn133@aol.com

Sara Turner is piano accompanist for the Wandering Minstrels since 2004. She accompanies private students in lessons, recitals, performances, seminars, and recordings. In 2007 she was the staff accompanist for the American Singers Opera Project in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Kimberly M. Butler soprano is from Poughkeepsie, New York, but currently calls Charlotte home. She is honored to take part in her second year with Wandering Minstrels this season... and is looking forward to many more! Music, in any form, is her passion, and she is thankful for the gift that God has given her. She takes great pleasure in sharing her gift during this holiday season.

Scot Gregg bass baritone developed his musical roots singing in church choirs as a child in Asheville, NC. A lifelong musician, he played trumpet throughout middle school and high school and was a member of the inaugural Baptist all-state youth choir in 1999 and sang again 2000. Scot attended Wingate University where he received a Bachelor's Degree in music. While there he sang in the Chamber Choir and the University Singers, and played in the pep band and jazz ensemble. In 2004, the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) ranked him 3rd in his division. The next year he placed second. After graduation, he served as the Interim Minister of Music for his church in Asheville, before moving back to Charlotte. He has been singing with the Wandering Minstrels since the 2002 season. He has also been singing in a barbershop quartet since the spring of 2007.

Damon Stinson tenor was born in Newark, New Jersey and was a member of the Newark and Brooklyn Boys Chorus. While in the chorus he performed in productions on and off Broadway; Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (Children’s Chorus), PDQ Bach’s Missa Hilarious (Angel), 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (Lud Simmons), A Most Happy Fella (Postman), Once Upon a Mattress (The Minstrel) and She Loves Me (Steven Kodaly). He attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he studied with Mrs. Jane Dillard and later with Mr. Raymond McGuire at the Catholic University of America. He has also studied with Ms. Patrizia Cioffi and currently studies with Mr. John Fowler. Mr. Stinson has performed under the baton of such well-known conductors as Robert Shaw, Pierre Boulez, Lukas Foss, Peter Schickele, Leonard Bernstein, and James Levine. He has been a finalist in many National and International Competitions such as, Leontyne Price Vocal Arts (National Winner), Federation of Music Clubs (National Runner Up), MTNA (National Winner) and the Pavarotti Contest (Honorable Mention). Mr. Stinson has been a winner in the state and regional NATS Competition and a North Carolina Metropolitan Opera (Encouragement Award Recipient), The American Opera Audition, Duke Power Scholarship (Brevard Music Center), Charlotte Opera Guild Award, Charlotte Choral Society Award and is a recent recipient of a North Carolina Arts and Science Grant.

Kevin Proffit, lyric tenor marks his third season with The Wandering Minstrels. A native North Carolinian, he began singing and playing piano at an early age and began serving as a church pianist at age 15. He has since served as church pianist and assisted as director of music in several contemporary churches. He has taught private piano and voice to both children and adults. His love of traditional sacred and classical music led him to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he studied vocal performance. In addition to working full-time with Carolina's Healthcare System, he performs as often as possible. He has performed as a guest vocalist with The Charlotte Oratorio and Chamber Singers, The Piedmont Chorale, Chamber Music at St. Alban’s and many other local venues. A versatile performer, he has performed contemporary, jazz, pop, and Broadway styles as well. He has served as vocalist at St. Alban's Episcopal Church and can currently be found at Myers Park United Methodist Church as a section leader and soloist.

Ryan Deal, tenor is a native of Statesville, NC and currently resides in Charlotte where he is employed with Crosland, LLC, in the Residential Property Management division and is a licensed real estate broker. He serves as a staff singer at Myers Park Methodist Church under the direction of Les Ackerman. While studying vocal music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro under the tutelage of Dr. Nancy Walker and Dr. Robert Bracey, Ryan was a regular performer with various academic and professional opera and theatre companies. He also consistently does well in scholarship and vocal competitions, winning 6 first place awards at the NC and Mid-Atlantic Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions.

Christine Eide, mezzo-soprano and native of Brevard, North Carolina, is enjoying her first season with The Wandering Minstrels. Not long after graduating from Brevard College with degrees in both Music and Theatre, she relocated to Charlotte, where she is a Teaching Fellow for Citizen Schools at Albemarle Road Middle School. In addition to singing with this wonderful group, she is also a member of the Opera Carolina Chorus and a section leader for the Myers Park United Methodist Church Chancel Choir.

Edward Norton (Dramatic Bass-Baritone and Accompanist). Edward is a voice and piano teacher, vocal coach and accompanist in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He serves as Organist at Beck’s Lutheran Church in Lexington, North Carolina.

Houston Van Hoy, baritone, is a Charlotte native. He has sung with the Wandering Minstrels for twenty-five years. A graduate of UNC Charlotte, he has continued singing and playing electric bass guitar well into his middle age. Houston began singing in church choir and taking music lessons at age six. In his adult years, he has sung as a section leader in the Covenant Presbyterian Church choir (Charlotte), and has sung numerous roles in Covenant’s summer operettas, with the Charlottetowne Players and at Central Piedmont Community College Summer Theater. Currently he is a member of SpiritSong, a contemporary music worship group at Christ Lutheran Church in Charlotte, and has also played bass for musicals at Christ Lutheran. He has been employed at Wachovia for over seventeen years. He is a business systems analyst, and hopes to get a ride on the Wells Fargo wagon, which is coming to town.

Our Members Emeritus:

Dorothy Bovard. For many years Dorothy, co-founder, was our accompanyist during rehearsals and helped us select repertoire. We remember her fondly.

In memorium to Dorothy.

 

 

Jane Balfrey. Jane was a member of the Wandering Minstrels and still serves as as Administrative Assistant. She has worked professionally as a soloist and ensemble member in both North and South Carolina. She studied voice at Pfeiffer College, now Pfeiffer University and continued her training after college with the Langley Studio of Voice in Charlotte. In addition to her work with the Wandering Minstrels, highlights of her musical career include performances with the Charlotte Opera Chorus in a concert performance of La Boheme; a performance of Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall under the direction of John Rutter (as a guest-member of the Pfeiffer College Symphonic Choir); The Charlotte Oratorio Singers; Stanly County Chorale and Wesley Chapel UMC in Misenheimer, North Carolina. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jane has called North Carolina “Home” since childhood.

 

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